A Wild Pendulum

So now we are into the final countdown. I feel like a pendulum that swings wildly from extreme to extreme.

One moment I am cavitating with excitement and the next...well the knot in the stomach feels like a python uncoiling its massive bulk.

The departure of the boxes was a huge relief and now there is an air of finality to the whole undertaking. The rides on the weekend crystallised my thinking in terms of the clothing mix and that is also a weight off my mind. There are just a few small things to buy and I am done.

My bike is currently in for its service and the replacement of a few essential parts. I will test it this weekend and then the waiting to begin will be really hard. There will be nothing else to do except stay healthy and relaxed.

Maybe we'll even get to talk about other issues instead of "thee race". Certainly a couple of mojitos with Aileen yesterday helped ...a lot!

We've even spoken about life after the race which seems so far away and it was good to focus on another dimension. The return to reality might be an unwelcome jolt after having nothing else to focus on but riding, eating and sleeping.

But in the meantime, we need to book our spot on the train down to PMB which reduces the logistics of getting to start considerably. A first class cabin costs less than R200 and the meal in the swaying dining car will be liberally washed down with wine to celebrate the start of the adventure.